RE: Wrought Iron
by ShiroSoul95
Summary: A complete rewrite of Aldnoah/Zero from the ground up. Why is Inaho so silent, stoic, and lonesome? Why is Marito so scarred, hurt, and distraught? Why is Yuki-nee so upbeat, forceful, and demanding? Why do the Martians want Earth? What is Aldnoah. "I don't know," Asseylum whispered as she turned around to face the sky, "But we must move forward to find out...don't we Inaho-san?"
1. Chapter 1: To him he is not

**Chapter 1: To him he is not**

_**UFE Okinawa Branch Office- October 04- 1312 hours **_

Kouichirou Marito was not a happy man.

He walked down the hall way of the office building with eyes underneath his cap and a glowering look on his face that seemed to split the human traffic in front of him like the Red Sea.

'Why?' one might ask. 'Why was Kouichirou Marito not a happy man?'

'It's complicated' would be the first (and easiest) answer

Marito rounded a corner and continued his brisk pace. Giving some nods of greeting to those brave enough to wave or acknowledge his existence. He currently wore an impeccably straight and ironed blue military blazer with a white shirt and black tie underneath. On his right shoulder was a simple black and white patch of the Earth with latitude and longitude lines covered in part by the silhouette of a humming bird; the symbol for the United Forces of Earth, an organization devoted to the protection of Earth against foreign invaders. One could easily recognize the double bar's that was affixed to his collar and cap, designating his rank of Captain.

The men and women around him wore similar uniforms as they bustled to and fro within the hallway. He was certainly an imposing figure among the Lieutenants and Master Sergeants that didn't know him by name. Dialogues could be easily overheard in the busy hallway. Some were complaining about working hours, others talking about the infrastructure rebuilding initiatives, immigration, food production, more discussing the probability of war coming upon the surface once again. All real problems to be dealt with on Earth, but none that interested Marito.

The captain paid no heed to the gossip and continued on his way deeper into the building. Soon the white walls and tiled floors disappeared and turned into a comforting tan paint and luxurious maroon carpet as he walked up a small set of stairs to the next floor. Warm, dim lights covered the halls as he approached a set of glass doors. Opening them he was met with the sight of a petite woman sitting at a desk with a phone cradled between her shoulder and ear as she spoke quickly into the receiver while her busy hands jotted something down into a notepad. The secretary looked up at the sound of the doors swinging shut and gave a small smile to Marito - one that the man didn't return.

"Yes sir. Can you please hold on sir? Something came up." The secretary took the phone in her hands and covered the receiver with her long thin fingers. "He's waiting for you inside, just walk right in."

Marito nodded slightly and did as he was told, opening another pair of doors to enter a weakly lit room.

"Ah!" a man said as Marito closed the door behind him, "Captain! Come in, come in. Take a seat."

The room was an office, a large rounded mahogany desk sat in the center of it a uniformed man seated on the other side with three chairs facing him. Marito sat in the center lead, directly facing the person who had requested his presence. The person in question pressed a button on a remote that was hung from a clip on the desk, causing the blinds to rotate and brightening the dark room with midday sunbeams. The aspects of the office were clearer now. To Marito's left and right were large bookshelves that covered their respective walls. There was several office plants placed in corners of the room. On top of the table was a computer with two screens and a large tower behind him them. The man himself was also more visible. He was rather aged, with a bald head and a slightly wrinkled face. His uniform was identical to Marito's own, just that instead of two bars the man had a golden star on his collar. A small name plate was above his pocket: Touya Richard. This Touya Richard was definitely not entirely Japanese, his skin was lighter and his jaw line too gruff. But the high cheekbones and squinting eyes gave him that eastern Asian look.

"You had called me?" asked Marito, "Colonel Touya?"

"Indeed I did," the aged man agreed with a small grin flashing his white teeth, "But before that, anything you want to drink? Soda? Beer? Wine? Brandy? Hell, coffee even, we still have some actual beans from Africa you know."

"I respectfully decline."

"Really? A shame…" Touya pressed a button on the intercom next to his lamp. "Kathy? Could you be a dear and get me a bottle of Blue Label? …Bah! You're like my daughter sometimes lass, a man needs to cut loose...No I don't particularly care that my blood pressure is at an unhealthy level…Oi, is there really a need to tell my wife? Alright, alright, you win. Beer it is."

With a heavy sigh the elderly man removed his finger from the phone and gave a weak smile to Marito. "Seems that my secretary is all out of scotch at the moment. We'll have to settle for pantywaist liquor."

"Not a problem, sir. I don't intend to drink"

"Right then!" the colonel pushed his chair back and crossed his feet on the table in a startling pose of unprofessionalism as he ignored Marito's pessimism. The MP's would have Richard's head for this if they actually cared. "What's it like being a Captain now?"

Marito unconsciously fingered the pin on his collar and gave the question some thought. "It's strange…" he concluded, "Going from foot soldier on the front lines to a desk jockey Captain. Pay's alright I guess, it's just that the people I work for aren't all that intelligent." Marito punched himself in the gut for that last bit; passive insults to the military overlords weren't looked too highly upon.

Luckily for him, the Colonel simply laughed it off with a throaty chuckle and grilled Marito for several more minutes. How his subordinates were. What he liked and hated about his job. How he was adjusting to the UFE restructuring? How his family was doing back at Yokohama? They only stopped conversing when the lady outside, Kathy as Touya called her, walked in with a large bottle of beer. Touya's eyes widened and sparkled as he gratefully took the booze and shooed the female soldier away.

As soon as the secretary left the room, the superior officer took a second to read the label before he proceeded to open it. "Bollocks! Bloody fat-free beer? That woman I swear! Worse than my mother I tell you."

Grumbling the Colonel produced two glasses and poured an equal amount into both vessels. He quickly swallowed the first and offered the second to Marito. Marito simply stared at him. The two had a small staring contest at the Captain's refusal of good grace. The impassive glare of Marito met the inquisitive one the Colonel had with equal, if not greater, force of charisma.

"Alright, I get it." Touya drowned the glass in hand and swiveled his chair to open a drawer. With a flourish he pulled out a manila envelope and placed it on the table. "Let's get down to business." The Colonel pushed the object towards Marito, gesturing for the lower ranked officer to open the package. Marito obliged the man, snapping the clip at the lip of the envelop open and pulling out the papers inside. His eyes widened as he read it.

"What the hell?" he whispered as he flipped through the pages. "I'm being transferred?!"

Colonel Touya poured himself another glass and nodded solemnly. "To Shinagawara. They were hit pretty hard during Heaven's Fall. Some meteorites haven't even been moved yet because of their size and the destruction of roads making it impossible to bring in heavy equipment. Despite that, they've gotten themselves up and running pretty quickly."

"…"

"Don't give me that look," Touya admonished as he took a swig. "Higher ups want you there. As you should know, many men from Shinagawara were stationed on Tanegashima."

Marito winced as his heart beat accelerated and head throbbed. Tanegashima…

"As the only survivor of Heaven's Fall on Tanegashima we thought it was only appropriate that you be the CAO to inform the families. It's a tasteless task I know, but it was the only alternative. There's a plane on the tarmac waiting for you as we speak."

Marito stayed silent as he read the papers that were informing him of his new orders. UFE high command had ordered Captain Kouichirou Marito to act as CAO to four families within the Shinagawara sector. Immediate transfer requested and reporting to superiors in that precinct within 24 hours of receiving the orders. Marito gulped as he felt his hands shake: CAO was short for casualty assistance officer. He was the officer who would have to inform the families that their loved one who had served in the armed forces was killed in combat. It was a heart wrenching job, some of his colleagues had come back from their own tour of this duty and were full with stories of sadness from themselves and the families they visited.

"Does this mean…" Marito slowly started, "that my report…"

"Captain!" the Colonel barked suddenly causing Marito to jump in his seat to look at a stern Touya. The elder man put his feet down and leaned forward across the table. Another momentary lapse of words between the two caused the Colonel to sigh deeply and talk in a softer, but strict, tone. "The official record states that the 38th Armored Core in the 16th Battalion stationed on Tanegashima was destroyed by falling fragments of the Moon in the event we now call 'Heaven's Fall.' No remnants were found, only their bodies and dog tags. Nothing more, nothing less."

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the two like a heavy blanket. Marito gritted his teeth and closed his hands with violent force. They were doing it again. They were shutting him up. First they shipped him out of Tokyo to Okinawa when word spread of his report, giving him a promotion to a Captain and a salary increase in an effort to keep him silent. And now they were sending him off to a dead end area where his voice would have no effect. Even worse they were making him spread lies to his comrades' families of their…these bastards! This was absolutely unforgiveable!

"I know…what I saw…" he spat out between his clenched teeth slowly fighting off the tears and headache as images of Tanegashima replayed in his mind. That huge red **thing** in the back as he held the body of his squad mate. "They didn't die... in some freak disaster…Captain Kaizuka…Humeray…Stuart…and Khan…they died trying to protect me! They're heroes! Not accident –victims!" Marito was nearly shouting now as he struggled to keep his tears from falling

"I understand." Touya poured another glass of alcohol, watching as the yellow liquid fall into the vessel. He pushed it towards the Captain and folded his hands. "I know. But I don't want to lose a soldier like you, Marito. You're too valuable to lose, too experienced with the enemy. I can't have you getting yourself killed over that report; this is the only way I can see to keep you alive. You need to let it go Kouichiro Marito."

Touya leaned back in his seat and looked at his subordinate. "If anything, I'm sorry."

Marito didn't even think about it as reached forward and snatched the glass and drank. He apologized to this squad mates in heaven as he and his superior officer alike both removed themselves temporarily from the world as they drank their woes away.

_**Shinagawara Office- October 06- 0930 hours **_

Marito gazed out the tinted one-way windows of the car and lazily watched as storefronts and civilians passed him. Life had finally returned to normal after the Earth-Mars War ended. The economic effects of the period of war and disruption of trade because of Heaven's Fall was finally subsiding and everyday life was returning to what it had been. A simpler time.

"We'll be there in a few minutes, sir" His chauffeur informed Marito.

Marito was being driven around by a chauffeur he jokingly nicknamed Sebastian (he didn't even know the driver's actual name). The car was a luxury overseas brand, capable of all the creature comforts of home if one so desired. Being a military man, the cars was obviously armored, with a carbon plated external shell strong enough to shrug off 50-cal rounds and even survive missile fire. And what ride of this level would be complete without a miniature fridge stocked to the brim with alcohol?

"Thank you for your hard work Sebastian"

"Just doing my job, sir" Sebastian laughed.

A quick exchange of words and Marito turned to pick up a black folder that was lying across the seat next to him. He flipped open the folder and pulled out a piece of paper. Deciding his throat was dry, Marito retrieved a can of beer from the God-send mini fridge and cracked the aluminum can open. He began to drink as he looked over the paper; there were many names and addresses on it, all piled one on top of another in a list. Multiple names were either crossed out or had question marks next to them. Placing his index finger on it, Marito traced downward, reading through each name until he came to the next untouched name.

Kaizuka.

"What's the next address again?"

The driver replied back in the positive, every letter and number matching the address next to the name on the sheet in front of him. Marito's fears were affirmed.

"I see…" Marito replied lifelessly as he stared at the piece of paper. Thousands of thoughts were running through his head. Captain Kaizuka had a family alright, Marito was keenly aware of that. The Captain would always brag about it with the rest of the squad, about his beautiful wife, daughter, and genius son. Kaizuka Marimo, Kaizuka Yukinoshita and Kaizuka Inaho respectively.

Fate could be cruel…

…as well as a buzzkill. Marito put the beer can away as he tried to think of a proper greeting.

The driver had been true to his words, and in nine minutes the car had been parked right out front of a fairly large apartment building, the kind with the doors to the outside rather than have an indoor lobby. In a crowded city like Shingawara getting rid of the extraneous parts of a building saved on space and allowed for more urban housing.

"Do you need me to accompany you Captain?" Sebastian asked as he opened the passenger door to allow the ranked officer to step out.

Marito stopped midstride to consider the offer. "No, it's fine. Just don't get too comfortable I'll be back soon."

The suited driver nodded and stood next to the vehicle and watched as Marito climbed up the stairs. The apartment was located on the fourth floor, quite a ways up from the ground. Walking across the indicated landing he counted off the number plaques. Four doors down, he found his mark: apartment 4-22. Marito gulped and pulled on his white leather gloves and repositioned his cap. He took another deep breath and knocked on the door three times.

"Coming!" a muffled said through the door as the sound of feet impacting against a wooden floor could be heard. Marito quickly put his hands behind his back and straightened his spine and stiffened his body in preparation. The locks on the opposite side of the door were fiddled with and opened inwardly to reveal a teenage girl standing before the Captain. She was a tiny slip of a girl: skinny, with pale white skin, long black hair, a frail looking face. Marito inadvertently inhaled a hitched breath as he realized Kaizuka was right, his daughter was a beautiful girl. She was in a long skirt that ended just short of her ankles and wore a white woolen sweater. Her pewter orbs jumped between his own eyes and his attire, notably hovering over the patch and pins.

She soon realized why he was here and her eyes reflected this, growing dull and scared as her jaw set.

"Are you," Marito started shakily as he tried to avoid thinking about how her eyes were just like her father's, "Kaizuka Yukinoshita?"

"Y-yes…" she breathed back. Her fist tightening on the door knob didn't go unnoticed by the disgraced Captain.

"Is your guardian home?" he asked as he peered over the head of the teenage girl into the apartment. The living room was well lit and the door allowed for a direct view into the kitchen. No other being could be seen.

"N-no, o-our caretaker is out grocery shopping."

Marito grimaced as he checked his watch. It was nearly 20:00, should he come back tomorrow? The rational answer would be to say "yes", come back when he had a better idea of what to say and when the guardian was home. "Do you know when that person will be back?" Yukinoshita shook her head. Marito felt something press at his head, urging him to do something.

"I see…I am here to unfortunately inform you that former Captain Kaizuka Isumi of the 38th ArmoredCore in the 16th Battalion was killed in action. His service at death was honorable," he felt himself blurt out.

"W-what?"Yukinoshita stuttered and her legs shook. "D-dad was?"

"Killed in action, yes. His tank was destroyed by enemy attack of 900 hours two months ago. His body was just recovered and dog tag identified." Marito hung his head as silenced fell upon them. "I am terribly sorry for your loss." He mentally berated himself

For several moments he just looked at the younger girl whose eyes were still in shock. Not that Marito was surprised in anyway. A military man who wasn't part of the family arriving at your house was always a bad sign. And he was the worst kind: the one that brought Death's message. He couldn't even give her the benefit of the doubt. What a change a letter could make. KIA and MIA. One would lead to worry, incessant worry, but still had the possibility of the more preferred outcome. KIA was absolute and true. It would cause a deep void in their heart that would claw at them for decades.

And what made it worse was that Marito understood he was being too blunt, too straightforward. Why wasn't he talking about how much he respected his Captain? Why wasn't he saying how they were in the same squadron? What was making him breakdown like this?

"Yuki-nee?"

A younger voice suddenly called out, male in origin. Yukinoshita whirled around quickly as Marito caught a glimpse of the new-comer. It was a small boy of four or five, who stood in stripped pajamas, holding a ragged stuffed lion by the neck in the crook of his elbow and rubbed his eye with the other hand. Marito felt his mind come crashing down as he the realization hit: he had just destroyed a family. He should be used to the feeling by now, but the appearance of Kaizuka's son, Inaho, had given it a new feeling.

"N-n-nao-chan?" Yukinoshita sputtered. He could almost hear the tears start falling from her eyes and voice crack as she tried to keep a straight face for her little brother.

"Is something wrong Yuki-nee?" her little brother questioned again, "Why are you crying? Who is the man?"

"Nao-chan!" Yukinoshita's dam exploded as she ran to her brother and hugged his diminutive figure tightly and bawled away. Her tears and howls of anguish stabbed Marito with invisible blades. The boy just stood in her arms not understanding what was going on. In-between the slobbering yells of his sister the four year child finally understood and the change in his gaze shook Marito's heart in a way that he would never forget ever again.

"Dad's dead?"

The crying grew even louder, inciting some of the neighbors to open their doors to see what all the ruckus was about. Marito turned his head at the sounds of bags hitting the floor. Standing at the foot of the landing was an elderly lady who had dropped numerous grocery bags. With a single glance at Marito she ran forward and pushed him aside, making a beeline towards the children. In this day and age, where the draft was instituted and every family had given a member or two towards the United Forces of Earth military to combat the Versia Empire, everyone knew the dreaded sign of a CAO.

"Oh, dear. Oh, Lord. God, please have mercy on these children." The woman prayed as she picked up the Kaizuka siblings and led them inside their house. "Come on Yuki-chan, Inaho-kun." Within seconds she had sheparded them inside and slammed the door in the Captain's face.

"I'll take my leave."

Marito deeply bowed his upper body and promptly spun on his heel. He made his way down the flight of stairs and realized.

He didn't even tell them their father's last words. He had utterly failed in his job.

He needed to get drunk.


	2. Chapter 2: Tears of the falling rain for

**A/N: Hey guy's it's me Soul-kun, your fan-fiction writer for today! I'm glad I got a good reception for chapter one and hope to see the same for chapter two. I personally hate how I write, but people seemed to enjoy it so I'll strive to improve! I**

**To answer some questions:**

**I am changing the timeline of events for the basis of the story. The original Heaven's Fall occurred 15 years prior to the beginning events of Aldnoah Zero. I changed this to 13 years. Also Inaho is 15 in cannon, but in my story he will be 17 by the time we get to the cannon events. This makes him four years old when Heaven's Fall occurred. **

**Now I wanted to establish a base event that ties Marito to the Kaizuka siblings. Marito's involvement in the story I feel was severely lacking and not needed because he was only there to offer flash backs and the "truth" of Tanegashima. Really, a waste of a great character. **

**About pairings, I officially ship Inaho and Asseylum. But there will be struggles. **

**I intend to write this as how Urobochi-sensei wanted to write Aldnoah Zero. **

**PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 2: Tears of the falling rain for the burnt sapling<strong>

_**Shinagawara - Downtown Business District- December 1- 1523 hours**_

On the top left corner of the page was a picture of a young boy. The child had messy brown hair that reached to cover his similarly colored eyes and an expressionless gaze aimed at the camera. The boy's name was Kaizuka Inaho. Currently four years of age and going to a zoned public pre-school in his city of residence: Shinagawara. Diagnosed with autism at age three, symptoms show slow development of social skills as reported by teacher of his class, notably not speaking until spoken to, and not being able to maintain a conversation with adults or children alike. Inaho generally stays to himself and shows little emotion. Another side effect may possibly be his abnormal intelligence, with an IQ of nearly 157 and photographic memory, his reasoning and deductive abilities are far above his age group. His parent's turned down the offer for Kaizuka Inaho skip into higher grades.

Direct family include his father (Kaizuka Isumi ), mother (Kaizuka Marimo), and elder sister (Kaizuka Yukinoshita). As of current date, Kaizuka Marimo died due to an accidental administration overdose of the antidepressant aripiprazole as per post death autopsy. Kaizuka Isumi was recently reported KIA during Heaven's Fall on Tanegashima, theorized that he was killed due to the impact of a meteorite near his unit; body unidentifiable except for the UFE standard dog tag. Sister is alive with no mental or physical ailments on record. They are currently being taken care of by their –

"Captain Kouichiro?"

Marito snapped the folder in his hands shut. Reading the profile on that person would have to wait. "Ah, Yuki-chan! Glad you could make it. Sit down, don't be afraid to order something, it's on me after-all."

Kaizuka Yukinoshita gave a weak smile. She had come straight from high school so she still wore her tan skirt over black stockings and blue blazer to cover a white blouse. The fourteen year old girl brushed her long silky black hair aside and eyed the older man for a moment before sitting down. Yuki dropped her bag full of school books to the floor as Marito handed her a menu, barely giving her time to give it a look over before waving over a server. The two were in a rather well known café near the downtown area. It was small quaint place that the Captain only had found after asking around some of the nightclubs he visited frequently during his off-duty hours with the rest of his assigned squad.

"An order of bread sticks and tomato lentil soup for me." Marito pointed at the menu. "Anything you want Yuki-chan?"

"I'll have the chocolate soufflé."

Marito chuckled, "I thought you were on a diet Yuki-chan."

"Captain!"

"Well then, you heard the lady," the Captain reclined and folded both hands behind his head "Breadsticks and tomato lentil and a chocolate soufflé."

The waiter noted the order down on a small notepad. "Very good sir, anything to drink?"

Marito pondered for a moment. Alcohol in the afternoon? Enticing, but the idea was quickly slapped away by the more rational side of his mind as it was inappropriate to drink in front of minors and he was technically still on duty. "I'll have a large latte with a shot of expresso. And you?"

"I-uh," Yuki stuttered as she quickly glanced through the available drinks. "I'll have a mineral water. Please, and thank you." She held out the menu nervously.

The waiter jotted down the final items and collected the menus. Watching the suited worker walk away to ready the meal, Marito peeked over at Yuki with a smirk. "Still no good eating at ritzy places like this?"

Yukinoshita had the good grace to flush pleasantly and pout, "You've been teasing me since I walked in Captain…"

"Oi oi, I asked you to call me Uncle Marito didn't I? None of that formal stuff." The older man pointed at her.

"What? No, I can't! You're a Captain!"

"Now now, no need to be fussy. Come on, repeat after me. Ma-ri-to. Uncle Marito." As if teaching a preschooler how to annunciate words, Marito slowed down his syllables and spoke as clearly (and condescendingly) as he could.

"Uncle M-M-marito…" Yuki whispered as she looked away.

"Couldn't hear you." Marito cupped his right ear and leaned in.

"Fine I get it! Uncle Marito!"

It wasn't really that much a surprise that Yukinoshita found calling him by his given name informal and awkward. Public schools had mandatory military education after the Martian ceasefire that came following Heaven's Fall. The teachings instilled respect for higher ranked officers and active men and women in general. Some would probably see a Captain being called by his given name by someone other than a close friend or family as heresy to his rank and service. Not that they weren't close, they had talked almost every day after Marito had dropped the bombshell that her father was declared KIA. As CAO and close friend of her father it was his responsibility to look after the children for the next two months.

"So how are you guys holding up? The funeral is next week right?"

Yuki nodded. "Nao-chan finally talked to Granny yesterday. We were all so relieved. The rest of the family had called and they helped contribute a bit towards the funeral proceedings. Nao-chan picked out the stone and epitaph. It's really sweet, even though he doesn't remember Dad much…"

Marito nodded solemnly as he reached out to give the teenage girl's hand a comforting squeeze. "It must be hard, dealing with this on your own. Remember, I can help in anyway necessary. It's my job, literally"

Yuki gave a grateful smile as she shook her head. "It's fine Uncle Marito. We can manage on our own, and to be honest I think it's easier for me to cope when I focus on Nao-chan and the funeral then to think about Mom and Dad."

Marito was going to respond, but was cut off by the call of the waiter. The man arrived with their meals presented prettily on a wide plate. Yuki tilted her head to a side, gesturing silently if Marito wanted to continue. The Captain thought for a second, but quickly decided that it wasn't necessary and that they should eat before it gets cold. He broke into his breadstick with gusto and dipped it in the soup. He rarely ate western food, but the times he did was a joy. Due to the UFE's economic policies, worldwide trade was even easier than before the war, with the removal of import and export taxes and tariffs. As such, the phenomena known as "cultural diffusion" was occurring rapidly across the globe. People moved as quickly as the trade did, and with them so did things like customs, languages, and food. Authentic foreign restaurants were easier to find and local dishes started becoming more…exciting. The change was a sort of godsend to a previously xenophobic country like Japan, as far as Marito was concerned anyway.

Not that it was all good. Due to Heaven's Fall, the Earth suffered massive environmental changes. The sea levels around the world went up by two inches and the resulting shifts in temperatures across the world and the atmospheric effects changed climates of countries drastically. Legitimate coffee was hard to find and even harder to grow, all though the synthetic variety existed (like the cup he was drinking right now) the taste just wasn't the same. Many other fruits and vegetables were also similarly almost nonexistent in a natural state, some people even said that the kiwi and dragon fruit went extinct.

"This is…really good," whispered Yuki as she slowly dug her spoon into the chocolate cake.

"Tell me about it," agreed Marito as he shoved the last piece of bread into his mouth and got to work on the soup. Deciding that the tiny spoon wasn't going to cut it, he simply held up the bowl and started swallowing the warm liquid, an action that attracted the stares of his lunch-partner and the more refined guests around the café as the slurping sounds echoed through the room.

"…and you tease me for not eating here often," Yuki sighed as she daintily sipped some of her mineral water.

"It's only a problem when they kick you out."

"Is that what an adult should be saying?"

"Putting that aside," Marito waved off her remarks, "How's school so far?"

Yuki tapped her plate slowly and described her educational life so far. At age fourteen she was a first year in high school, so she had just been placed in an official squad to train with and study with. The squad was mostly comprised of the squad mates she had been with since elementary school and middle school, a common tactic to increase teamwork by having familiar faces and knowing their personalities and actions. She touched briefly on communication and mathematics lessons, her talent in the two causing the instructor to question what she planned to do in the future.

"So what do you want to do when you grow up?" asked Marito as he placed a chin on top of folded hands to regard the girl in front of him.

"I'm not sure… I think I'll save that till the time comes."

"A sound idea. How's Granny doing?"

"She's alright. A bit tired and she sleeps more, but she's always watching out for Nao-chan. She keeps him busy by teaching him how to cook. Apparently they're going to try to make omelet rice tonight."

Marito whistled, "I'm impressed. I may just come over to have a taste."

Yuki giggled and pointed a spoon at the Captain, "We'd love it, but Granny said that you need to stop trying to give her money. She said that she doesn't need any help from a tin soldier like you."

The Captain winced and playfully held the left side of his chest. "Ouch, way to hit a man where it hurts."

"I think you're just dense Uncle Marito."

The two shared a brief laugh as the waiter returned, asking if the pair wanted anything else. Yukinoshita was full, and Marito was sure that the rest of the establishment had enough of his antics for their delicate sensibilities so he too decided that they had enough. "Just the check please."

Martio wasn't mentally prepared as he nearly doubled back in his seat at the final line of the check.

"Oh my…I didn't think it'd be that expensive…" Yuki whispered as she peered at check.

"Don't worry about it; I'll just have my superiors cover this under mission costs." He confidently pulled out a black credit card and handed it over to the waiter.

"That's not nice Uncle Marito…" She eyed the waiter who was inspecting the black card suspiciously with a few testing bends.

"Don't worry too much about it. You'll get wrinkles." He joked and poked the girl's forehead.

After paying for the meal they stepped outside, to be met with a torrential rain and deafening thunder that seemed to have started as their meal began. It was strange that in the cold of winter it was raining rather than snowing, but at least rain didn't stick around for long. Marito luckily had watched the weather forecast and brought a large black golf umbrella and offered to escort Yuki home. She initially refused, but his insistence won out and the two walked down the block. The walk was only twenty minutes to the Kaizuka apartment, and their conversation soon drew to a close as they neared the large building.

"Thank you for the walk Uncle Marito" Yuki bowed her head and held her book bag over her head as she ran out of the cover of the umbrella to the first overhang of the apartment that offered protection from the rain.

"Anytime!" Marito hollered back over the sound of storm. A thought struck him as he called out to the teenage girl again. "Did you think about my offer!?"

Yukinoshita began to walk off, but spared a glance over at Marito. After a few moments of seeing her open her mouth and being unable to hear anything Marito just waved her off and watched as she lept up the stairs before deciding to go home as well.

_**Shinagawara - Town Cemetary - December 8- 1523 hours**_

Funerals, Marito had decided, were interesting events. Not in the sense that he enjoyed them, but in the idea that it revealed the inner thoughts of many. The funeral for Kaizuka Isumi was done on a sunny day, a respite from the storms that had been plaguing the city for the past week. It was still chilly, around twenty degrees Celcius but none of the members of the funeral cared. He had first arrived at the apartment of the children and helped them and Granny into a car to be driven to the town cemetery. Not much was spoken among them, but rather it seemed inappropriate to speak. At location they met with the rest of the extended family. Kaizuka Isumi was a single child whose parents had died many years ago, only his distantly related family was around and had come to mourn him.

Kaizuka Isumi was cremated as per his families' wishes and his tombstone erected in the fallen man's hometown. The stone face was placed next to that of his deceased wife, both markers being made of an exquisite slab of white and black marble with green veins spread throughout the stone. The description of Isumi's life had been short but to the point: "A loving father and husband, caring to all and cared by all." Marito couldn't have put it better himself.

Inaho had stared at the tombstone with a blank face and looking oddly out of place in his small black and white suit, but Marito felt a rapt fascination emanating from him. Once in a while the diminutive grip of the boy's hands on a framed picture of his father that he held would tighten. He was faring better than Yukinoshita, who seemed to be giving tears for the both of them. She was always in close reach of Granny or some other family member who would hug her and give murmurs of comfort.

The military had arrived punctually, the blue and white uniformed officers marching through the cemetery with their muskets across their shoulders. Former Captain Kaizuka would be sent off into the other world with a full gun salute. The uniformed men had given Marito a salutation that he returned slowly, watching them step through the motions that were drilled into their very bones. They lifted their legs and turned with inhumane grace and practiced efficiency. Muskets loaded, the soldiers fired a blank for every rank the dead UFE soldier had gone through. Kaizuka Isumi had been promoted two ranks in death for his distinguished services; going from a Captain to a Lieutenant Colonel.

There were no speeches to be given, but the very emotion of the show of the pride of the military had moved the people. Yukinoshita nearly broke down into tears when she was presented with Captain Kaizuka's former badge of rank as well as a ceremonial flag of the UFE. The short ceremony ended and the people began to disperse. Hugs and kisses were passed to the orphaned children, many reassuring the children that they wouldn't be alone. The family members also greeted Marito, thanking the man for all his help and inquiring his closeness with Isumi. He always answered succinctly about the squad he was in, how the charisma and kindness of Captain Kaizuka had swept the newbies of their feet and accompanied them into battle with a force that unlike anything he had experienced. "The Captain was as much a father to me as he was to these kids," was his final sentence every time.

Which begged the question: where was Marito's suffering? Where was his mourning for his Captain? Probably buried underneath the surface of whatever the hell Tanegashima had become, was the likely answer. Shaking his head clear of the morbid thoughts Marito walked towards the tombstone.

"What's so special about life?"

Still standing in front of the final resting place of his father's soul was Inaho. The four year old was staring intently at the inscription he himself had authored with the same emotionless stare Marito had scene time and time again.

"Come again?" asked Marito, wondering if he had heard wrong.

"What makes life special?"

Marito stepped next to the child and put his hands in his pockets, relishing in the warmth provided to him. "Hard to say really, I don't think there is any real answer to that."

"So if we're not really sure…can we bring it back?"

Life was just nature's way of keeping meat fresh, a miracle function that kept sacs of water warm and moving. Life was special yes, but it could be extinguished so easily. Kouichiro Marito knew this all too well.

"No…I don't think that's what nature allows."

"Why not? Human's aren't that expensive." Inaho answered, "We're basically just 65% oxygen, 18% carbon, 10% hydrogen, and 3% nitrogen. Why can't we be brought back?"

"…"

"What makes us different?"

"…"

"Why is it a problem? Why won't nature allow it?"

"…"

"I…just…"

"…"

"Dad…I barely…Dad…"

"…"

"He was always away. Yuki-nee said he was fighting off the bad guys…so I always used to think he was a superhero"

"…"

"But superheroes…never die right?"

"It's fine kid, come here."

Marito forcefully turned Inaho around and hugged the child. Inaho's face was buried in his coat and for a brief second Inaho was rigid and stiff.

_"Nao-chan finally talked to Granny yesterday. We were all so relieved. The rest of the family had called and they helped contribute a bit towards the funeral proceedings. Nao-chan picked out the stone and epitaph. It's really sweet, even though he doesn't remember Dad much…"_

The Captain was reminded of his lunch with Yuki, a certain line that was spoken. The boy wasn't even able to properly mourn. Marito knew the signs that told him that Inaho was bottling his emotions, unable to understand what was happening and how to react. It was like looking into a mirror.

"Just let it go Inaho, you don't need to keep it in anymore"

In a few seconds the rigidness faded away as the picture frame dropped from Inaho's hands. "Dad!" a muffled voice screamed as Marito held him closer. The wailing of a son who lost his father tore his heart, and he just stood and let the boy let it all go. He sincerely hoped he was doing the right thing, and hoped that the Captain would give his blessing.

At the end of that night Kaizuka Inaho and Kaizuka Yukinoshita were officially adopted by Kouichiro Marito.


End file.
